ANSI/BIFMA X5.6 Testing Services In India

CIL Provides ANSI/BIFMA X5.6 Testing For Panel Systems. CIL is an ISO 17025 accredited inspection agency.

BIFMA X5.6 

Panel Systems 

CDG offers BIFMA X5.6 testing as part of its Office Furniture Testing services.  ANSI/BIFMA X5.6 – Panel Systems – Tests – was released in January 2016.  This standard provides a level plain field for evaluating the safety, durability and mechanical resistance of panel systems used in office environments.  This standard specifies acceptance levels to help ensure reasonable safety and performance of panel systems with an estimated product life of ten years based on a single shift usage. 

Desk products should be tested to Bifma X5.5, storage products should be tested to Bifma X5.9 and seating products should be tested to Bifma X5.1 and Bifma X5.4.  If your panel system shares components such as doors and drawers and that these products were tested to any of these Bifma standards, you might be able to use these tests and avoid having to redo them again.  Should this be the case, please let us know, our experts will take this into consideration while preparing your test plan. 

The types of tests to be employed to test to BIFMA X 5.6 are: 

• Panel Stability 
• Static load loading 
• Dynamic loading 
• Durability testing 
• Component Dislodgment 

Not all SKUs in your product line need to be tested in order to be able to comply to this standard; only worst-case scenarios need to be considered.  Our experts will be happy to review your product offering and let you know which products ought to be tested and this service is free of charge! 

BIFMA standards get revised approximately every 5 years per ANSI requirements. The revision process has recently been completed and BIFMA has published the 2016 version in replacement to the previous 2010. Our experts sit on the committee doing this review.  Should you be interested in finding out what the issues are and what is happening with this standard; you can go to our resources section which is often updated. 

ANSI/BIFMA X5.6-2016  

• Force stability test 
• Impact stability test 
• Panel system strength test – Static Functional Load 
• Panel system strength test – Static Proof Load 
• Primary surface concentrated proof load tests 
• Functional load test for panel mounted storage units – static 
• Force test for door locks  
• Cycle test for extendible elements 
• Harmonization with X5.5-2014: Counterbalanced surfaces are now covered and special note added for electrically motor-driven systems recalibration. 
• For each quartile, loading sequence has changed, testing may apply for non-rectangular shaped work surface 
• Harmonization with X5.5-2014: 
• Wide pull is now defined as 18″ minimum in length as well as > 33% of door width. 
• Test protocol different for vertical doors with wide pull 
• Test name changed to “Drop cycle test for horizontally hinged and horizontally receding doors” 
• Door used to be dropped 500 times whereas it is now 200 times. 
• Harmonization with X5.5-2014: wording added for extendible break-in period, reset for ball-bearing suspension. 
• Wide Pulls shall now be tested on both sides whereas it used to be pulled in center only